President Donald Trump said the United States could declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory after defeating Iran, while ADNOC reported another vessel was attacked in the strategic waterway without causing casualties.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said Friday that he may seek to declare the Strait of Hormuz “a territory of the United States,” making the extraordinary statement as he emphasized American military control of the vital shipping corridor during the ongoing war with Iran.
Speaking at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in Nassau County, New York, Trump tied the possibility to what he described as Iran’s eventual defeat.
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“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said.
The president did not provide details on how such a declaration would work or what legal authority the administration would invoke.
His remarks came as the Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of the conflict and as additional attacks on commercial vessels continue to be reported.
Trump said U.S. military operations against Iran have gone further than he initially wanted but maintained that the campaign is necessary to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The United States has “used the military a little bit more than I wanted to,” Trump said.
“We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Trump also acknowledged that the conflict and disruption surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to higher fuel costs for Americans.
“For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you’re doing it so that a very evil country cannot have” a nuclear weapon, Trump said, describing Iran as “the number one state sponsor of terror in the world.”
He urged Americans to accept higher gasoline prices as part of the cost of the military campaign.
“So, remember that when you have to pay a little bit more, you’re at $4. It’s OK,” Trump said. “I mean, I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing.”
Trump said the operation against Iran serves interests extending beyond the United States.
The military campaign was “a great service for the world, not only for ourselves,” he said.
Trump also reiterated his description of the U.S. maritime blockade around the strategic passage.
“The blockade is unstoppable,” Trump said. “The blockade is a wall of steel.”
The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and has become an increasingly dangerous maritime corridor as the conflict continues.
Adding to those tensions, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said early Saturday that one of its vessels had been attacked while passing through the strait Friday evening.
No casualties were reported, and the situation was brought under control, according to an ADNOC statement carried by the Emirates News Agency, WAM.
The company did not identify who carried out the attack and did not provide additional information about the vessel or the extent of any damage.
“ADNOC stresses the importance of protecting the safety of seafarers, ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security,” the company said.
The latest incident followed another series of attacks involving vessels connected to the UAE energy company.
The United Arab Emirates said Thursday that Iran attacked two vessels affiliated with ADNOC while they were transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest attack therefore adds another security incident to an increasingly volatile maritime environment in which commercial shipping, energy infrastructure and military forces are operating in close proximity.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized U.S. control over the strait as part of the broader campaign against Iran, portraying the blockade as a central instrument of pressure on Tehran.
His Friday remarks went further by raising the possibility that the United States could claim the waterway itself as American territory once the conflict concludes.
At the same time, the president made clear that the administration is prepared to tolerate domestic economic consequences, including higher fuel prices, to maintain pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.
With attacks on commercial vessels continuing and the United States maintaining its blockade, the Strait of Hormuz remains both a military flashpoint and a critical economic pressure point in the war.
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